By Dr. Gyan Pathak
Stubble burning by farmers of Punjab and Haryana has been chiefly blamed for years for deterioration of air quality in the Nation Capital Territory Delhi by the Government of Delhi while keeping a blind eye on other major factors and veiling its own failure. The latest data shows that stubble burning is only a small factor for pollution in National Capital Region.
Delhi government has been politically indulging is such a political game for over a decade every year during October-November, when Air Quality Index (AQI)deteriorates from bad to worse, to severe level. Similar strategy has been also resorted to this year by the BJP led Delhi government, which chiefly blamed Punjab, where its arch political rival Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is ruling. AAP had been doing the same thing when it ruled Delhi for a decade during which he always blamed Haryana and Punjab when rival political parties were in power. In 2022, when AAP came to power also in Punjab, they started saying that they are working to improve the situation, but failed. The simple reason was that the stubble burning was only a small factor in Delhi’s pollution, but chiefly blamed for it.
BJP came to power in Delhi in February 2025, and thereafter, started the same blame game. It is politically convenient for BJP to blame Punjab for pollution in Delhi, since its arch rival AAP is in power there. The chief blame has still been shifted on farmers of Punjab for stubble burning, while it says that BJP led government in Haryana is doing its best to curb stubble burning in the state.
Blame game is going on as political expediency. The reality is quite different. The latest data by Decision Support System (DSS) under the Union Ministry of Earth Sciences clearly shows that farm fires contributed only a little in the deterioration of AQI in Delhi. Since October 1, 2025, there was only once on November 12, farm fire contributed highest 22.47 per cent in total deterioration of AQI. On other days its contribution in Delhi’s pollution was very low compared to other factors. On November 12, Delhi’s AQI was 418.
In the first week of October, contribution of farm fire in Delhi’s AQI was negligible, only a little above zero per cent. By October its share in pollution rose to 2.62 per cent only when Delhi’s AQI rose from about 120 in the beginning of the month to 250. AQI deteriorated to 418 by November 12, but it improved to above 325 during November 18-20, while contribution of farm fire sharply declined to the range of 2.8 per cent to 5.4 per cent.
As per the DSS data of November 2025, transport contributed 19.7 per cent, cities around the capital contributed 29.5 per cent, residential areas 4.8 per cent, peripheral industries 3.7 per cent, construction work 2.9 per cent, waste burning 1.7 per cent, energy 1.4 per cent, road dust 1.5 per cent, and others contributed 34.8 per cent in the pollution of Delhi. Contribution of farm fire was only 1.4 per cent in AQI of the National Capital Territory.
On November 27, the air quality of the national capital was recorded in very poor category in the morning, with average AQI at 355. It is 13thconsecutive day when Delhi is battling poor air quality. As per the Central Pollution Control Board, an AQI between zero and 50 is considered “good”, 51 to 100 “satisfactory”, 101 to 200 “moderate”, 201 to 300 “poor”, 301 to 400 “very poor” and 401 to 500 “severe”.
The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has revoked action under Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) Stage-II in the national capital, and are now reported to focusing on intensifying their actions under Stage-I and Stage-II.
On November 11, an order was passed to invoke actions under Stage-III, which is done when the air quality is ‘Severe’.
The GRAP Stage-III restrictions include 50 per cent work from home and hybrid school classes have been lifted. It should be noted that CAQM has ordered that construction and demolition projects, which were issued closure orders on account of non-compliance or violation of statutory rules or guidelines, will not resume operation under the present circumstances.
Nevertheless, these ad hoc arrangement to reduce pollution level in the National Capital Territory need a fresh thinking on the issue. The Centre and the state governments of Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, and Rajasthan must join hands together to solve the problem of pollution in the NCT Delhi. Blame game is only an expediency. Concrete work is required.
The Supreme Court of India hearing the case on Delhi-NCR air pollution has said today November 27, 2025 that they do not have a magic wand to disappear pollution, and solution lies with domain experts. The bench stressed on the need for expert-led, multifaceted strategies to combat the persistent air quality crisis, as it commits to ongoing hearing and comprehensive action plan.
The bench headed by Chief Justice of India, Justice Surya Kant, which also included Justice Joymalya Bagchi, has assured that the court would now go beyond the “ceremonial listing” of the air pollution case every year before Deepavali, and proceed to hear the issue on a continuous basis. The case has been listed for further hearing on December 1.
It should be recalled that the former CJI BR Gavai had largely focused on stubble-burning by farmers, particularly of Punjab, as the chief source of pollution. Nevertheless, CJI Surya Kant has clearly said that the pollution cannot be blamed on one source. He said, “There is no such one reason for pollution. Be very clear about that. People are under a bona fide misconception that it is due to a particular reason. There are multiple sources. Neither us nor you are experts… We are also like any other resident facing hardship, but neither we nor you are experts in this issue… Domain experts and scientists have to bring up the solutions to this problem.” (IPA Service)
Centre’s Decision To Set Up System For Rare Earth Magnets Is A Game Changer 